SWtOR: Take Centerpoint
by Slade1987
Summary: A team of Republic special forces and Jedi led by a member of Republic intelligence travel to Centerpoint Station to discover what agents of the Sith Empire intend to do aboard the ancient and unknown space station.
1. Chapter 1

Mensis sat cross legged in meditation on the floor of the room he had been staying in for the past few days. A chime sounded, signalling that someone had tracked him down and sent the room's console a message. He opened his eyes, coming out of his trance and rolling his shoulders in a stretch that caused his black fur to ripple across his muscles. Uncoiling from his position on the floor he crossed the room to the console. Tapping the screen brought it online and its glow lit the darkened room in a pale light as Mensis' feline eyes dilated to adjust for the sudden change in lighting.

He scanned the message and frowned. The Sith were up to something again, and the Order couldn't spare the knights to deal with it. So of course they tracked down Mensis. He sighed, growling in annoyance. He could just ignore the request for help of course, but the Order knew better than to waste his time with requests that weren't vital.

He reexamined the message, reading its key portions. Corellian system. Centerpoint Station. Knight Kesarah. Agent Ganz Reddes. Sighing, he deactivated the screen and returned to the center of his room. He would finish his meditation, and then find means of transport to the Corellian system to meet the other members of this mission. For now the Force demanded his attention and he sought the peace and clarity it offered.

The music was a pulsing pounding beat coursing through Kesarah's body as she twirled and swayed on the dance floor, her lekku swirling around her along with her black dress which rose up to expose the toned legs of a dancer. She was much more than that of course, she was a Jedi, but in that moment upon the dance floor she was a free spirit unhindered by the strictures of her creed. She felt fingers sliding around her waist as a body pressed against hers, fitting against her form and moving with her wild movements. She reveled in the attention of her newfound partner, reaching up and running her hands through his short hair as his hands explored her stomach and hips intimately.

Two hours later Kesarah had followed her dancing partner home. It didn't take them long to get their clothes off and soon she was atop him, her pinkish red skin contrasting against his rich brown complexion. She panted heavily as she bobbed up and down, thrusting against him as he pressed inside of her. She arched up, crying out in pleasure as her lekku spasmed and twitched before she slumped forwards, smiling down at him hungrily.

He looked up at her with clear blue eyes, smiling warmly.

"You're beautiful." he murmured as he reached up and stroked her lekku.

Kesarah's heart skipped a beat at the touch of his fingers on her sensitive braintails. She leaned in and kissed him to keep him from saying anything else as she ground against him. She wanted to enjoy this night, not dwell on the fact that in the morning she'd drift away and out of this man's life like all the rest. Despite the passion and pleasure, despite the look of warmth in his eyes, it was always the same. They'd make love until they were both exhausted and in the early morning hours she'd slip away and never see him again.

Right in that moment though, she didn't want to think on that. She didn't want to think on the adoring expression he'd given her. She just wanted to feel his want and need to fill her and make her whole if only for a little while and as she built them both up to another impassioned crescendo she forgot her worries and simply took pleasure in the momentary bliss she'd found for herself.

Kesarah woke well before dawn, her lover had yet to stir from the bed they'd shared and she was careful to make sure he remained undisturbed during her departure as she slipped from the bed and dressed quickly. She hesitated a moment, looking back at her slumbering lover in the gloom. This was the part she hated most, the silent goodbye. She could of course slip back into bed and go back to sleep besides him. She always toyed with that idea, of just staying in the arms of her one night stand and seeing what happened, if maybe this one would be her last first kiss.

She never went through with it though, too afraid of the consequences to take that plunge into commitement and so just like all the others, Kesarah left this one slumbering as she snuck out into the predawn hours of Coronet. Hailing an aircab wasn't hard and a few simple Force tricks later she'd obtained a free ride back to her apartment. She stood in the living space of her current abode, looking out at the sunrise over the city as Corellia's capital came to life. Standing there barefoot in her dress she felt a familiar longing for strong arms to encircle her waist and whisper lovingly in her ear. Would she ever find something so special she wondered? Did she deserve to find it? ...she hoped so.

She discarded her dress on the bed, leaving her heels in the living room as she changed into her charcoal thigh high boots and dark red skirt and tank top. She wasn't at all tired from the night's activities, she'd slept well in the arms of her partner and besides she hadn't even eaten breakfast yet. She went to her kitchen and opened the fridge to see what she had. She hadn't yet made her decision when the chime on her door sounded.

Frowning, she left the kitchen and went to the door, checking through the door cam to see who it was. There was a man on the other side wearing what looked like a Republic officer's uniform with the brim of his cap pulled low over his face, hiding it from view. Her frown still in place she reached out with the Force to search her visitor's thoughts. What she found was smooth and calm and even assured. There was no malice that she could detect, simply purpose.

Still, she had the uneasy feeling that she'd seen him before. Despite that though she opened the door and looked out at him, confident that even if he proved hostile that she could easy take him.

"Yes?"

He looked up at her, smiling and Kesarah felt a jolt of shock run through her body as the man from the night before looked back at her. The same clear blue eyes looked into her own brown as she gawked at him in surprise.

"Knight Kesarah," he said politely as he removed his cap. "I believe we have business to discuss, if I could come in?"

Kesarah stood there a moment more, still absorbing what was before her as she noted the four metal implants on the man's temples and the two others across his forehead. The shiny chrome stood out against his dark skin which was contrasted further by his blonde hair and blue eyes. She managed to snap herself out of her shock finally, nodding mutely and opening the door fully to allow him to enter.

"Thank you," he said cordially as he stepped inside and turned to her as she closed the door behind her. "I take it you have not received the message."

Kesarah blinked stupidly for a moment, and then managed to find her voice.

"What?"

"Have you checked your console in the past week Knight?"

Kesarah frowned, shaking her head as she turned and headed to the console in the living room wall, pulling out the keyboard and bringing it online quickly checked her mail. There were several missed messages but one in particular caught her eye as she opened it and scanned it quickly. Her eyes widened as she read it and she spun on her guest almost as gracefully as she had upon the dance floor the night before.

"Agent Reddes?" she asked as her stomach sickened.

He nodded. "That would be me."

Kesarah looked at him for a long moment before sinking down into a chair with a groan as she massaged the sides of her head against the oncoming headache.

After a moment more she looked up at him angrily.

"Did you have fun last night?"

He smiled. "I did, you were an amazing partner."

The fact that he didn't so much as twitch or seem the least bit ashamed of what had happened last night only served to incense Kesarah more as she continued to glare at him.

"Glad you enjoyed it," she snapped, feeling increasingly violated and used.

He came to sit at the table, producing two cups of caf and a bag smelling of pastries from where Kesarah really wasn't sure.

"You think caf is going to make this better?" she growled haughtily.

"No, but I do think you'd like breakfast." he replied.

She continued to scowl at him for a moment more before taking one of the cups and drinking the piping hot liquid within. Reaching into the bag she pulled out a light pastry with egg and cheese baked into it.

"So what is this mission?" she asked after finishing her food.

"That can wait until after we retrieve Knight Mensis," he said as he sipped his own caf. "Besides you haven't agreed to help."

"And I won't until I know what is going on," Kesarah said to him angrily. "Especially after last night!"

"I enjoyed it." he said simply.

Kesarah's lekku twitched angrily as she looked away from him. Truth be told she'd enjoyed it too, and this was the first time one of her flings had followed her home but that didn't help assuage the sense of betrayal she was feeling.

Agent Reddes checked his chrono, standing up as he finished his caf.

"If you like I can go get Knight Mensis and return for you and your answer."

She looked up at him. "No, I'm coming with you. If you think I'm going to let you out of my sight for one moment after this stunt you'd better think again!"

Mensis opened his eyes as the vibrations of the freighter's hull alerted him to the impending landing. He'd spent the trip from the Mid Rim to Corellia meditating and training in the cargo hold of the freighter much to the perplexion of the ship's captain. However he'd remained undisturbed once the crew had realized he had no intention of mingling with them. Now however he stirred and upon gathering his simple belongings he left the hold.

"Thank you," he said simply to the ship's captain as he handed him the remainder of his fee.

The Captain looked at the credits for a moment before pocketing them with a shake of his head as he returned to the business of offloading his cargo.

Mensis strode out on the duracrete of Coronet's spaceport, looking around at the bustling port for a moment before he headed towards the main terminal. Having come in on the freight pad there was no ground transport for pedestrians but he did not mind the walk, taking it in stride as he walked beneath Corellia's sun as its rays glistened off his sleek black fur. The message hadn't given him much detail about his contacts here, simply that he was to proceed to Corellia and Coronet where they would meet him. A simple enough directive provided they could find him. Given his preferred method of transport using cargo haulers rather than proper passenger liners he found he was sometimes quite the challenge to track when combined with his penchant of using hard credit rather than electronic transaction.

However he was mildly surprised to find a Republic officer standing at the door of the terminal. The dark skinned human was obviously a cyborg, his facial implants and unnaturally blue eyes giving away his augmentations as he approached Mensis.

"Knight Mensis, I am—"

"—Agent Reddes." Mensis said curiously. "How did you know where to find me?"

The Agent smiled. "Republic Intelligence likes to keep tabs on its assets."

Mensis' fur bristled. "I am no one's 'asset'."

"Forgive me," Agent Reddes said earnestly. "A phrase, no more. Will you join me?"

"I would not be here if I did not intend to." Mensis replied.

"Excellent, I have already retrieved Knight Kesarah, she is waiting outside in the speeder."

The Agent turned and led Mensis through the terminal and out into the vehicle waiting area. Sure enough a speeder was waiting for them with a coral pink twi'lek leaning against it scowling in their direction. The saber at her hip told Mensis she was Knight Kesarah, but everything about her seemed contrary to what he knew Order Jedi to be. She seemed too earnest in her emotions and particularly expressive of them when she turned an angry glare at Agent Reddes.

"Is this him?" she asked.

"It is," Agent Reddes replied as he opened the door for her. "Please."

She hesitated a moment, looking from him to Mensis for a moment before getting into the speeder with a huff.

Mensis observed all this placidly before climbing into the speeder himself. Some thirty minutes later they all sat in the living room of Knight Kesarah's quarters as Agent Reddes explained the reason they'd been called upon.

"Have either of you heard of Centerpoint Station?"

Knight Kesarah shook her head but Mensis nodded.

"It is an enigmatic station of unknown origin between the twin world of Talus and Tralus."

Agent Reddes nodded. "Correct, no one really knows much about it and given the almost continual state of war these past few centuries no one has bothered to find out."

"So what do we care about it then?" Knight Kesarah asked haughtily.

Mensis frowned, looking at his fellow Jedi in confusion. She certainly seemed distressed, though he could not fathom why.

"Because the Sith are paying attention to it." Agent Reddes said. "We have intelligence that indicates that a Sith Inquisitor and at least two warriors have travelled to the station and we suspect that they have company of a military nature."

"And we are to investigate this?" Mensis asked.

"Yes." Agent Reddes said. "We don't know what they're doing there, but we don't want them doing it to put it simply. Neither side in the war knows anything about the station that we know of, but if the Sith somehow have found information about it then we can't allow them to exploit it."

Knight Kesarah sighed. "So you're worried that the Sith have found a way to make an old station work however it was designed to work." she waved a hand in flippant dismissal. "Let them tinker with it, who cares?"

"It could upset the balance of power in the galaxy," Mensis said, his cat eyes narrowing as they turned on her. "If the Sith find ancient technology of a magnitude that the Republic is not able to match."

Knight Kesarah scowled at him before turning her gaze on Agent Reddes.

"So that's what the message is all about?"

He nodded. "It is."

"And you want me to help you?"

"If you wouldn't mind." he said. "I can deal with Imperial troops but Sith are another matter entirely."

Mensis nodded. "I will accompany you Agent."

"Thank you," he said with a grateful nod before he turned to Knight Kesarah once more. "And you Knight?"

She scowled at him, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair.

"Fine, guess you can count me in as well."

"Excellent," Agent Reddes said as he stood up. "Both of you take care of whatever business you have to on Coronet. We'll depart this evening, meet me at docking bay one-oh-nine at the main spaceport."

"You have a ship?" Mensis inquired.

"Yes, among other things and we will probably need it if we find the Sith have taken active control of the station."

Mensis nodded. "If they have then you may leave them to me while you complete whatever mission it is you must."

"I appreciate the back up," he nodded to them both. "Have a pleasant morning and afternoon, I will see you both tonight."

With that he turned and headed for the door, placing his cap on his head as he walked out and let it close behind him.

"He's got some nerve," Knight Kesarah grumbled as she clenched her fists in her lap.

Mensis turned to regard her for a moment, a regard which earned him a glare.

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"I do not."

"You can rest here then, or whatever you need to do." she said as she stood up and headed for what Mensis presumed was her bedroom, her movements fluid and graceful.

"Thank you," he said with a bow even as the door to her bedchamber sealed between them.

Mensis considered his fellows for a moment, wondering especially at the very un-knightly Knight Kesarah before he set his things down on the floor and stretched out upon it. It was best that he rest now while he could before going on to whatever came next.


	2. Chapter 2

Kesarah stepped out of the aircab without bothering to pay the enamored driver who didn't even mind that he'd just been cheated out of a fare. Behind her she felt the disapproval of Mensis but didn't particularly care if her fellow Jedi disapproved or not. Was it really her fault if people fell for her charms so easily? To her mind she had a gift and one worth utilizing whenever it was needed though she could concede that perhaps she exercized it too freely at times. However she was not here to consider the morality of her life choices, she was here for an entirely different and unselfish reason.

As the two of them walked through the terminal, heading towards docking bay one-zero-nine and the waiting ship she expected would be there she felt Mensis' eyes on her almost continually. She couldn't tell if he was judging her or simply observing and the near constant focus of his attention was irksome. Not that she minded being the center of attention, but she preferred to know what the intentions of that attention were. Normally they were carnal in nature and she reveled in the wanton lust of her aspiring partners. However with Mensis it was far more challenging for her to discern what he intended with his piercing gaze.

Despite the prospect of both working with and seeing Agent Reddes again, Kesarah found it a great relief when they finally reached the docking bay. The ship before her was anything but what she'd expected. Granted she wasn't entirely sure what a Republic Intelligence agent was supposed to fly, but she was relatively certain it wasn't supposed to be a luxury yacht. The sleek craft resembled some sort of ancient oar driven marine ship rather than a space fairing craft and while Kesarah appreciated the luxury it represented—the wild thing inside of her running away with her imagination—the Jedi in her wondered at Agent Reddes' choice of transport.

Mensis gazed at the ship curiously. It seemed an odd choice of craft for a mission such as this but then he was not an agent in the Republic. Perhaps there was reason enough.

"So," Knight Kesarah asked. "Do we knock?"

Mensis ignored the twi'lek's commentary as he spied a boarding ramp towards the aft of the craft. Without a word he turned and began walking towards it.

"Hey!" Knight Kesarah called as she joined him. "You've spent this whole time staring at me and now you're not going to say anything?"

Mensis did not turn to look at her as he continued towards the ramp.

"I was merely trying to know those I work with."

"Oh so it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm beautiful right?" she asked in what almost sounded like a playful tone.

Mensis blinked, now he did turn to regard her as they reached the boarding ramp. He looked at her for a long moment in consideration. Was she beautiful? It was hard to say, he had little interest in things of such a carnal nature. His eyes traveled over her body impassively before he turned and proceeded upwards.

"I suppose you are," he remarked. "Though a Jedi hardly cares for such things."

Kesarah stopped dead in her tracks, looking up at the Cathar's retreating back as he walked up the ramp.

'I suppose you are.' her mind echoed indignantly. What kind of backhanded compliment was that?

She was still fuming as she followed him up the ramp and into the ship. What greeted her there surprised her enough that she forgot about her irritation. Mensis was standing calmly as he looked down the barrel of a blaster aimed at his head by a bothan wearing combat armor. Kesarah turned to see another armored figure, this one a human woman with short red hair aiming a weapon at Kesarah.

"Do we have the wrong ship?" she asked with a nervous smile.

"I don't believe so," Mensis said as he looked at the bothan. "I am Knight Mensis, this is Knight Kesarah. We are expected."

Kesarah swallowed, wondering if she could use the Force to shift the aim of either weapon just enough—and fast enough—to avoid being shot when she reached for her own weapon. She could just make herself invisible of course, but that wouldn't stop either of their new acquaintances from shooting them!

Mensis gazed calmly at the bothan who eyed him darkly.

"Reddes said to expect two Jedi," he lowered his weapon and nodded to the woman who in turn lowered her blaster. "I suppose that would be the two of you."

Mensis both felt and heard Knight Kesarah exhale behind him but paid her no mind as he addressed the bothan.

"And you are?"

"Lieutenant Dar'lya, Republic Special Forces." he thumbed over at the red headed woman. "That's Specialist Karelia, my slicer and sapper."

"Are there more of you?" Mensis inquired.

"Two others," Dar'lya stated simply as he stepped aside. "Sergeant Hamza is my gunner and Specialist Duraa is my medic."

"And they are?"

"Miralian and zabrak."

Mensis nodded. "I will be sure to take note of them, where is Agent Reddes?"

"He's up on the bridge," Dar'lya said. "Go check in with him, he'll probably want to head out immediately."

"I see, thank you." Mensis as he and Knight Kesarah left the pair at the boarding ramp.

"That was different," Knight Kesarah said with a nervous laugh. "Not every day I get a blaster shoved in my face just for walking on a ship!"

"Neither of them felt hostile," Mensis said simply. "And if you had noticed, their weapons were set to stun."

After a moment of silence, Knight Kesarah managed a muttered 'oh' as she continued to follow Mensis through the ship's central corridor. They walked up two more levels before arriving in the spacious cockpit. A red tower-like utility droid hovered on three repulsor pods as it rotated its head and gazed at them with its glowing photoreceptor, warbling in greeting.

"Oh good," Agent Reddes said as he turned around to look at them both from his position in the pilot's chair. "I see the Lieutenant and his friends didn't give you too much trouble."

"None at all," Mensis said with narrowed eyes. "But a warning would have been nice."

"I told you I didn't just have a ship," the Agent replied with a smile.

Mensis eyed him. "That hardly constitutes a warning."

He shrugged. "No matter, they didn't shoot you so it's behind us. Are you ready to depart?"

"We are here," Mensis said simply.

"That you are," Agent Reddes looked at Knight Kesarah for a moment before smiling. "You're welcome to take any of the cabins, feel free to get to know the commandos, now that they know who you are they should be a little more friendly."

"Only a little?" Knight Kesarah asked in what Mensis swore was a joking tone.

Agent Reddes eyed her for a moment before shrugging.

"Well, in your case I suppose that depends on how well acquainted you want to become."

Mensis felt a wash of emotion from Knight Kesarah, enough so that he turned to look at her and found that she was glaring at the Intelligence Agent angrily. She turned on her heel and stormed from the bridge, leaving Mensis to turn back to Agent Reddes in confusion.

"Is there something I am unaware of?"

The Agent shrugged. "Nothing that concerns you or the mission. She is merely annoyed that we've interrupted her lifestyle here."

Mensis frowned. "Our service is to the Force and the good of the galaxy."

Agent Reddes chuckled, his blue eyes lit with amusement.

"Perhaps, but I doubt everyone shares the same level of devotion on the matter."

Mensis considered the Intelligence Agent for a moment more before turning to go.

"I will find quarters for the duration of the trip."

"I recommend the first door on the second level." Agent Reddes called out as he descended the ladderwell.

Mensis was starting to dislike this. A Republic agent with a commando team had asked two Jedi for assistance. There was nothing too unusual about that and he'd even done it through the Jedi Order which meant that this was a sanctioned mission. Yet Mensis had received no communication from the Order beyond that initial message requesting his assistance and giving him instructions to go to Coronet if he were willing to participate. Now he was observing very unsettling and unstable behavior in Knight Kesarah, especially when she was in proximity to Agent Reddes. Mensis disliked subtleties, he may be a Gray Jedi but he did not like subterfuge and would rather face an issue directly than sneak around its edges trying to discern its shape.

He paused and found that he'd stopped besides the door that Agent Reddes had recommended to him. Frowning, he reached out with the Force to see if he could discern what might await him inside. What he found surprised him.

Serenity.

With that thought in his mind he pushed the door release and stepped into the cabin. It was spacious as was to be expected of the craft's design but the quality of the room was not what caught and held his attention. Rather it was the zabrak woman in the center of the cabin sitting cross legged with her hands folded in her lap as she stared at him.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Mensis gave a half-bow. "I am Knight Mensis, you are?"

"Sergeant Hamza." she replied with a quirk of her brow. "Do you always barge into other's cabins Knight?"

"No, forgive me. Agent Reddes informed me that I might like this cabin."

Sergeant Hamza snorted, her eyes fixed on him as she tilted her head slightly.

"Did he, well do you enjoy meditation Knight?"

Mensis inclined his head. "I certainly find peace in it."

Sergeant Hamza gestured besides her. "Then please, join me."

Mensis hesitated a moment. It had been some time since he had last meditated with another being as he preferred to do so alone and was often alone to begin with. However having been so rude as to walk in on this commando's own meditation only to be invited to join, it seemed increasingly rude of him not to take her up on the offer. With such considerations in mind, he put his things down against the bulkhead and came to join Sergeant Hamza. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he entered into his own trance alongside the commando besides him.

The departure from Corellia came with little notice. Kesarah had found an empty cabin, which she found appropriately acquitted for a luxury craft, and barely realized that the ship had lifted from the ground until it shuddered slightly as it passed through the planet's atmosphere. Her thoughts returned to the man piloting the ship and indignation grew inside of her. How dare he imply that she'd sleep with the commandos aboard the ship? First off, she didn't like women or bothans and she hadn't met the other two so she couldn't even begin to think of them in that way! It wasn't like she'd just spread her legs if they were to walk through the door!

She sat on the bed, huffing in increasing indignation at the thought of Agent Reddes smiling at her coyly. It was enough to drive her insane! She was the one who was supposed to drive her partners mad with want, she was supposed to decide how and when they made love and she was the one who decided when it was over! Ganz Reddes had disrupted all of that, not only had he followed her home but he'd then treated her as if she were no more than an idle fling! Nevermind that she had treated him as exactly that, she was Kesarah! She was beautiful, the icon of male desire! No one could treat her like some simple one night stand!

She'd become so incensed by all of this that she jumped to her feet, shouting at the bulkhead.

"Who does he think I am!?" she raged. "Who does he think he is!?"

Without thinking, she stormed out of her cabin and retraced her earlier steps back to the bridge. Once again she found the red utility droid hovering by the controls next to the pilot's seat. Glaring at its high back she grabbed it with the Force and yanked the chair around to reveal a startled Agent Reddes looking at her.

"You do not treat me like that!" she snapped angrily.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I am not some idle fling to just be laughed about after the fact!"

He sat there, his surprise fading to an amused smile.

"I never thought of you as something to laugh about. I enjoyed our night together greatly."

"Oh," Kesarah seethed. "I'm so glad you enjoyed it!"

Agent Reddes looked up at her from the chair, his smile turning into a smug smirk.

"Given your reaction at the time, you enjoyed it to."

"Shut up," she snapped. "You weren't supposed to come find me."

"But I had to, regardless of the previous night, I was going to come to you that morning one way or another," his blue eyes glowed slightly. "We at least got to know one another before hand."

"And do you think that you deserve to know me?" she growled as she put her hands on the back of the chair and leaned down to look at him.

She'd expected him to stare at her chest, after all her breasts were practically dangling in front of his face, but he did not. His eyes remained fixed on her face and that disturbed her. She was used to men staring at her body, not at her and the distinction was...unsettling.

"You tell me Kesarah," he said with an annoyingly calm voice. "Do you think I'm worth a second attempt?"

"I," she hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. "I don't do seconds."

Despite her words, she felt his hands touching her hips and pulling her against him. She didn't resist as she sank into the chair, straddling and kneeling atop him as she looked into his blue eyes, seeing the lines of circuitry in them glowing eerily.

"What are you doing?" she asked as he looked up at her.

He reached up and touched the back of her head where her lekku began, his fingers caressing the sensitive skin gently.

"I'm proving a point."

She shivered at his touch, closing her eyes and leaning her head against his.

"Point?" she murmured as he continued to stroke the base of her lekku.

"That you were never just some fling Kesarah."

She wasn't sure how it happened, she was too busy enjoying his touch to really pay attention to what their bodies were doing as their lips touched in a kiss and she found herself grinding against him as he held her rear firmly. Besides them the utility droid rotated its head and gave a whistle. Kesarah reached her hand out, shoving the nosy droid across the bridge violently as she gripped the front of Reddes tunic and pulled him into a deeper kiss while the blue swirl of hyperspace shown beyond them.


	3. Chapter 3

Mensis came out of his trance slowly, his mind drifting back to his body gradually as it became aware of intense emotion nearby. He opened his eyes and looked besides him at Sergeant Hamza as the miralian continued her own meditation. He had honestly enjoyed meditating in her presence and wished he could continue but the powerful emotions he was sensing now and so close concerned him.

"Have you finished your meditation?" Sergeant Hamza asked, causing Mensis to twitch with surprise, he hadn't realized she was aware of his loss of focus.

"No, I simply sense something...will you begrudge me if I investigate?"

Sergeant Hamza smiuled and shrugged as she nodded.

"Do what you need to, I will be here for the remainder of the journey."

Mensis wasn't quite sure why knowing that the serene Sergeant would be readily available was pleasing to him but truly it was. He chose to leave his things against the bulkhead as he left the cabin and followed the strong emotions rippling through the Force up to the cockpit. He paused outside as he heard a soft moan from the other side of the door. Was that Knight Kesarah's voice? It certainly sounded like it and she sounded as if she were in distress. Mensis keyed the door release and stepped inside.

"Knight Kesarah are you—" he stopped at the scene he found before him.

Agent Reddes was on his back looking up at Mensis with his pale blue eyes, his pants down around his knees as Knight Kesarah straddled him, her hand on the deck on either side of his head. The pair were very obviously joined at the hips and Mensis had to take a moment to process what he was seeing.

"What is going on here?" he asked, his voice a growling rumble.

Agent Reddes blinked calmly, looking from Mensis to Knight Kesarah and back again.

"I believe it's called sex."

Knight Kesarah ducked her head as she tried to hide her laugh while he lekku rippled. For his part Mensis' fur rippled in annoyance as he growled.

"You're an Agent of the Republic! Have you no shame?"

Agent Reddes again blinked slowly as he watched Mensis' face.

"This is my ship, if I wish to have sex on its bridge I hardly see how that is any of your business."

Mensis snarled as he looked at Kesarah. "And you! You're a Jedi Knight! You are above such passing pleasures! Did this man seduce you?"

Knight Kesarah rolled her eyes as she got up off of Agent Reddes who pulled his pants up, making himself decent once again.

"Please," she drawled. "Don't give me that old line, I know what the Code says and I don't care."

Mensis bristled. "That is dangerously close to the Dark Side."

She snorted and waved her hand dismissively. "So report me to the Council, it wouldn't be the first time and I'll tell them the same thing I do everytime: I don't care about the Code. If I'm going to fight for the Republic, I might as well enjoy myself!"

"You're betraying your oath to the Order!"

"I might point out that you aren't exactly loyal to the Order yourself." Agent Reddes said which drew a baleful glare from Mensis but the Agent simply shrugged. "I do read the dossiers of everyone I work with. I know how much you avoid other Jedi."

"Probably because he's too afraid to develop any attachments." Knight Kesarah said with a smirk.

Mensis' eyes blazed hotly as he looked between the pair of them.

"You expect me to help you when you encourage her corruption?"

Agent Reddes shrugged. "What's worse, that I'm sleeping with Kesarah or that the Sith might be activating an ancient space station?"

"One I know is happening," Mensis growled. "The other I only have your word which we see means little."

"Oh I'm hurt," Agent Reddes said with a smile. "I sleep with one woman and suddenly my word is suspect." his smile turned dangerous. "And you haven't even seen me do my spy act yet."

Mensis sneered in disgust at him and then turned his eyes once more on Kesarah.

"If you fall during this mission I will kill you."

"I'll be sure to watch my step," Kesarah said in a teasing lilt as she waved her hand dismissively. "Now go follow a ball of string pussy cat and let the grown ups have fun."

Seething as his fur rippled, Mensis turned and stormed from the cockpit. He wrestled with his temper as he tried to find the peace he had so recently acquired in the company of Sergeant Hamza. It was little surprise to him that he found himself back inside of her cabin. She was waiting patiently, seemingly aware of his distress as she greeted him.

"What happened?"

"Agent Reddes and Knight Kesarah are," he hissed in aggravation. "Having a sexual relationship."

"Oh," Sergeant Hamza said. "And that disturbs you?"

"She's a Jedi!" he said with fervor. "She is meant to be above such things!"

Sergeant Hamza's dark eyes sat in her green tatooed face as she watched him intently.

"And you believe because she is a Jedi she shouldn't find what happiness she can in sexual companionship?"

"No, if she gives in to such desires she could succumb to her emotions!"

"What is wrong with emotion? You're certainly emotional at the moment." Sergeant Hamza pointed out calmly.

"I am," Mensis hesistated. "I am upset."

"You are, perhaps you wish for the freedom she displays?"

"No." Mensis stated flatly. "I do not. I am in control."

"Well then," Sergeant Hamza said. "If you are in control of yourself, then perhaps you would like to return to meditation?"

"No," Mensis said pensively. "I do not feel as though meditation would help here."

"Well then," Sergeant Hamza said again as she stood up and retrieved a case from by the bed. "You trusted me to meditate with you, will you trust me again?"

Frowning, Mensis nodded. "Of course."

"Good, then come with me and we'll see if we can't help your ease your concerns."

"Do you think he'll leave?" Kesarah asked as Agent Reddes sat down in the pilots chair.

"Where will he go?" Agent Reddes replied. "Until we reach Centerpoint he's stuck here, and I think once he realizes what we're up against he'll decide to help."

Kesarah crossed her arms and gave him a pouting expression.

"You're confident aren't you."

With a chuckle, Agent Reddes turned to look at her.

"In my line of work you have to be, there's a lot of implied trust."

"Oh," Kesarah said with a sultry smile. "Trust? Is that what all this is? You seducing me?"

"Admit it," he said playfully. "You're enjoying it."

Kesarah's heart jumped in her chest as her lekku twitched excitedly.

"I—I really don't know, I've never let anyone this close before." she gave him a scowling smile. "I've never had anyone force themselves this close before."

"Are you afraid?" he asked her, his cybernetic eyes gazed at her intensely, their glassy blue contrasting sharply against his dark skin.

"About the mission or you?" Kesarah asked in an attempt to divert his inquiry.

He smiled at her, unaswering and silent as he waited for her to answer.

"I'm a Jedi, we don't know fear." she answered finally with a prideful glare.

He chuckled. "I hope so, I'd hate to think that I frighten you."

Kesarah bristled. "Want me to put you on the deck again?"

Still laughing he shook his head. "That excites me far more than it probably should Kesarah."

Taking a deep breath, Kesarah looked at him pointedly.

"You know we were so," she hesitated as she searched for the right word. "Busy before, that I never asked, what do I call you?" regaining some of her playful composure, she smiled at him. "'Agent Reddes' could be fun in certain circumstances but it isn't very intimate."

"Ganz," he said calmly. "You can call me Ganz."

She smiled at him, coming to sit on the arm of the pilots chair, putting her legs over his knees as he looked up at her curiously. She was feeling giddy, lightheaded even. She'd never done anything like this before, as a rule she avoided staying near people she slept with. However Agent Reddes—Ganz—was breaking all her rules and Force help her she was enjoying the terrifying thrill of it all.

"So, since we're busy breaking all the rules," she asked excitedly, pursing her lips and rolling her shoulders provacatively. "Do you want to try for round three?"

Ganz laughed, looking up at her with a charmingly boyish grin.

"Am I that good Kesarah?"

"Don't let it go to your head," Kesarah said as she drapped her lekku over her shoulder, poking him on the tip of his nose with a finger. "And call me Kesa."

Mensis frowned as he followed Sergeant Hamza through the ship to what appeared to be a small gym. Once there he found the three other commandos waiting.

"What took you so long Hamza?" asked a gruff zabrak with pale granite skin.

"I had to bring a friend Duraa," Sergeant Hamza gestured to Mensis. "This is Knight Mensis, meditation has failed him for the moment and so I invited him to join us."

Lieutenant Dar'lya snorted, his fur rippling across his body as he stood up. Mensis noticed that he had another case similar to the one that Sergeant Hamza was carrying.

"We only have four blades Sergeant, you going to give him yours?"

Sergeant Hamza nodded. "I thought he could use his own sabers," she smiled at Lieutenant Dar'lya. "It's a good test don't you think?"

"Swords?" Mensis asked with a frown. "My sabers can cut through blades."

"Not these," the zabrak said as he picked up a case and opened it to display a longsword, assuming a guard stance as he tossed the case aside. "Want to find out?"

"Specialist Duraa correct?" Mensis asked as he pulled one of his sabers from his belt.

"That would be me," the zabrak answered.

Mensis nodded as he ignited his silver blade and readied himself.

"I want you to know that I bear you no ill will, and any injuries you sustain are not intended."

"I'll keep that in mind," Specialist Duraa said with a laugh. "Now let's begin."

Mensis stepped forwards, taking his saber in a similar two handed grip as Specialist Duraa as the pair of them circled each other, both waiting for the other to strike. Mensis sensed the Specialist's eagerness to begin and so waited patiently for his patience to wear thin. He was not disappointed as the commando came forwards and swung his longsword. Mensis jumped back from the swung, twisting and dropping his saber down intending to cut the blade in half. His saber snapped against the flat of the longsword, connecting solidly and hissing angrily as Mensis blinked in surprised and looked up at Specialist Duraa's grinning features.

"Told you it wouldn't cut." he said with a smirk.

The pair disengaged and Mensis extinguished his saber, gazing at the sword in the commando's hand curiously.

"I wasn't aware the Republic knew how to craft Sith swords, or have you taken them from Sith you've killed?"

"Neither," Lieutenant Dar'lya said. "Duraa, show him your weapon."

Still grinning, Specialist Duraa flipped his sword around and offered it hilt first to Mensis who took it and examined the blade.

"It's phrik-weave, similar to the cortosis-weave you see in Sith swords." Specialist Duraa supplied. "A lot cheaper and a lot more common too, we can make more of them than the cortosis stuff."

Mensis nodded, his fascination getting the better of him.

"Then I may join your sparring session without fear of hurting you."

Lieutenant Dar'lya snorted, his fur rippling.

"You worry about yourself Jedi, we'll be fine."

His curiosity piqued by his new companions, Mensis readied himself as the silent Specialist Karelia produced a case of her own and came to join the sparring match. Mensis drew his second saber.

"I will fight two of you at once," he said. "It will help all of us."

"Suit yourself," Specialist Duraa said as he twirled his returned blade. "Karelia and I go first."

The next few hours were passed in this fashion, and the distraction of mock combat had the effect that Sergeant Hamza had promised. It brought peace to Mensis' troubled mental state that had been disrupted by what he'd discovered on the bridge of the luxury craft. Soon Knight Kesarah's indiscretion had completely faded from his mind, replaced by a focus as he danced with his sabers against the blades of the commandos.


	4. Chapter 4

The team was gathered around the holo display as Agent Reddes brought up a display of Centerpoint Station. It was shaped like a stocky cylinder with rounded ends and a large tube like bulge at its center.

"This," Agent Reddes said conversationally. "Is Centerpoint Station," he looked around at the gathered Jedi and Commandos. "For those that haven't been here before most of the station is uninhabited and filled with inert equipment that our techs can't even begin to figure out."

"But you think the Empire has." Mensis said.

Agent Reddes shrugged. "We don't know that they haven't, and you don't send an Inquisitor with backup on a sightseeing trip to ancient space stations."

Mensis fell silent as the briefing continued.

"Centerpoint is largely uninhabited, the only permanent settlement is Hollowtown located in the center of the station. There's a big artificial sun there suspended at the heart of the station which provides heat and light for permanent habitation. No one really claims the station so the people living here are essentially independent of the galaxy at large."

"No one claims it?" Kesarah asked curiously. "Why not?"

"It's effectively useless save for tourists, and those can be run from Corellia or any of the other planets in system. Heck, Tralus and Talus stradle the station so if anyone really wanted to see it all they would have to do is look up." the holo changed to display what was evidently Hollowtown as Agent Reddes continued. "Our task is to land on the station and see what we can find out. We don't know where the Sith are or what they're up to, only that they are here."

"So, what?" Kesarah asked with a frown. "You expect us to just start wandering around the town asking the locals? Won't that draw suspicion?"

"It will," Agent Reddes affirmed. "But that's where you come in." he grinned at her as Kesarah frowned.

"I don't know if I like that look."

"Oh you will, this is right up your street Kesa."

Right up my street. Kesarah seethed inside as she walked off the ramp of the yacht in the company of the commandos, Mensis and Ganz. She'd never felt so exposed in her entire life!

She was wearing a modest black dress with just enough flair to draw attention without being too obvious. It was at least a nice dress, made from very expensive silks and if she allowed herself a moment's pleasure she had to admit it felt amazing against her skin. That did not change the fact that her job was to look pretty while the others looked threatening. This whole ploy depended on everyone they met believing that she was a rich merchant's daughter out for a sightseeing tour of the Corellian System.

Ganz had an entire itinerary forged already, showing that they'd already been to Corellia and Drall and were now visiting the Twin World of Tralus and Talus, first stop: Centerpoint Station and Hollowtown. She did live it up though if she was honest, having the commandos carry her 'luggage' and getting to boss Knight Mensis and Ganz around was great fun. She made certain that customs found her annoying enough not to really check the luggage with more than a cursory scan and continued being as obnoxiously privileged until they reached the fancy—or what passed for such—hotel where they would be staying. The commandos had a suite of rooms to themselves while she, Knight Mensis and Ganz all had their own rooms.

After settling in they met in one of the hotel lounges, still playing their parts as Ganz set up some sort of jammer to keep anyone from listening in on their conversation.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Ganz asked her with a smirk.

She winked at him, sticking her tongue out.

"You wanted me to be a spoiled brat, don't blame me if I'm doing a good job."

"Your flirting is unseemly." Knight Mensis said grimly. "And dangerous."

Kesarah rolled her eyes, her lekku twitching in irritation as she replied hotly.

"Yes yes, I may fall to the Dark side and join the Empire so on and so forth, do you really believe you're the first person to say that to me?"

Knight Mensis opened his mouth, his fur bristling angrily but thankfully Ganz intervened.

"Enough, you two need to set aside your differences for this mission. We have priorities and your philosophical squabble is not among them."

Knight Mensis growled in annoyance.

"You assume much if you think I will take your command over this."

"You are here because the Republic needs you." Ganz replied, his cybernetic blue eyes fixed unwaveringly on Knight Mensis. "If you can't put aside your own personal misgivings for that then what sort of Jedi are you?"

Knight Mensis hesistated a moment, his fur bristling as his ears shifted in agitation before he subsided sullenly.

"Thank you." Ganz said, somewhat to Kesarah's surprise. "Now the important part, our cover here depends on Kesarah. She can't be seen to be out of character which means that at least two of us have to be with her whenever she goes out."

Kesarah frowned and looked at him. "You know I am right here."

He smiled at her. "Hard to miss."

Surprisingly, that made Kesarah blush as her lekku spasmed for a moment.

"My point is that we need to maintain the illusion of you being a visiting rich brat with your entourage."

Kesarah gave him her best 'rich brat' face she could as she pouted at him.

"I'll try to play the part."

Ganz snorted and looked around at the others. "Knights Mensis and Kesarah have the easy parts at this juncture, I'll work to set up secure communications between all of us. Your four," he said to the commandos. "Know what to do and what to look for, once we break from here you go do your thing and report back on your findings."

The four commandos nodded and stood, leaving the trio alone for a momenet before Knight Mensis stood.

"I will go as well, I will be in my room meditating should you have need of me." this last part he said with a very pointed look at Agent Reddes who nodded.

"Of course, let's go then." he stood and offered his hand to Kesarah. "If your ladyship is ready?"

Kesarah smirked up at him, putting on the airs of a snob as she took his hand and allowed him to help her up.

"Oh if I must," she cooed with a dramatic sigh. "I suppose it is time I retired for the evening."

Mensis examined the room he'd been given. It was what he would have called decadent, filled with needless frivolities. It obviously catered to the higher end of the tourist and business industry that Hollowtown ran. Removing his sabers from his belt, he placed then on the floor as he knelt down and put his hands on his legs. Closing his eyes, he let his troubled thoughts carry him deep into the channels of the Force. The commandos reconnaissance was no doubt important, but Mensis was equally sure that his own reconnaisance would reveal much about their potential foes, especially if there were indeed Sith involved.

He let his mind flow outwards from his body upon the whims and currents of the Force as he attempted to find their quarry. The inhabitants of Hollowtown seemed unconcerned about the larger goings on of the galaxy and why should they? After all they lived upon a seemingly worthless relic in the depths of Republic space. The Sith Empire wasn't going to strike them here, not into the powerful and well defended Corellian System. They were right Mensis supposed, the Sith Empire certainly would not strike here, but a few individual Sith with a squad of soldiers or mercenaries? What was to stop them from striking deep within Republic territory? It had happened before.

That was when Mensis hit a wall. His mind recoiled from the impact, barely recovering in time before the wall turned into something alive and assaulted his consciousness, forcing it back and encirclnig him as it tried to smother his awareness of himself within the Force. With a desperate cry, he wrenched his mind from the Force, calling his awareness back to his body and sealing it away behind hardened barriers. There was a brief moment when he attempted to stand and then he collapsed in a heap upon the floor of his room, senseless of all around him.

Kesarah lounged on the bed, watching as Ganz set up the communications system that would keep them all in touch with one another in the field.

"You know there are more interesting things you could be doing." she teased.

Ganz snorted, shaking his head without turning to look at her.

"I show honest interest and affection and suddenly you can't think of anything but getting in bed with me."

Kesarah pouted. "Well can you blame me? This is all new and exciting," she grinned at him with a mischievous wink. "Besides you're even a spy! It's like the plot in some holodrama!"

With a chuckle, Ganz turned to look at her.

"There's a reason I made our cover while we're here on Centerpoint focus on you being a rich merchant's daughter, you don't even have to try to play the role."

Huffing indignantly, Kesarah sat up and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine, you keep playing with your stupid communicator, see how you like being alone in bed tonight!" she paused and looked outside as the light filtering in through the windows with a frown. "When is night anyways?"

"Whenever you feel like it." Ganz replied as he went back to work. "There's a panel by the window, hit it to drop the curtains into place and it'll black the room out."

Kesarah frowned. "That's weird...but it kinda reminds me of home."

"Well the Glowspot never sets or goes out Kesa." Ganz said. "It just floats there in the center of the sphere with Hollowtown all around it. So if you want night, you've got to make it for yourself."

Kesarah rolled out of the bed languidly and walked over to the windows, spying the panel in question, she tapped it and watched as the windows immediately dimmed, casting the room into an otherworldly twilight. She turned to look at Ganz in the gloom, smiling at him playfully as she let the twilight filter in around her body.

"Do you like what you—AH!"

Ganz jumped, turning as Kesarah clutched at her head and collapsed to the floor.

"Kesa!" he cried, taking her in his arms and fighting with her flailing arms as her lekku spasmed. "Kesarah can you hear me?"

There was no response as Kesarah sprawled in his arms, twitching fitfully. Ganz quickly lifted the limp twi'lek in his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her out upon as he began to check her vitals. Aside from the fact that she was unresponsive she seemed unharmed...aside from the rapidly beating heart and random spasming twitches. It was almost like she was having some kind of seizure! He turned and hurried from the room to fetch Knight Mensis, perhaps the other Jedi would know what to do.

Solkan Nar watched as Lord Circe opened his eyes once more, his nostrils flaring as he came out of the trance he had been in.

"It is done." the Sith Inquisitor said with a slight smile. "The Jedi are neutralized for the time being."

"Do you want us to seek them out?" Solkan asked with an eager smile.

Lord Circe shook his head as he turned to Solkan and Darth Rannuck, the towering armored figure at Solkan's side.

"No, we have made the first strike. They do not yet know where we are. For now we will let it remain thusly, until we are ready."

The holo communicator buzzed at them insistently and Lord Circe waved his hand, activating the call from afar. An Imperial Intelligence agent appeared in the projector, his features respectful as he bowed.

"My apologies for the interruption my Lords," the agent said dutifully. "But it has come to our attention that there are Republic forces on Centerpoint, their likely goal is to hinder your movements."

"I am aware." Lord Circe said. "If you want to do something useful Agent, find out who the two Jedi are with them."

The agent bowed. "Of course my Lord, I will investigate immediately."

The holocall died and Lord Circe turned to Solkan.

"Speak with the men, impress upon them the need for haste. If we must confront these Republic fools then we may as well have all prepared."

Solkan bowed obediently. "At once my Lord, may I motivate them if necessary?"

Lord Circe turned from the lorrdian indifferently.

"I care not, amuse yourself if you must, so long as it is done."

A wicked smile spreading across his features.

"With pleasure."

As the Dark Side warrior turned to leave, Darth Rannuck turned his armor encased head to look at Lord Circe who waved his hand dismissively.

"The boy has his uses, he'll serve when the time comes." the Sith eyed the massive armored warrior. "And I know you'll pick up the slack when those Jedi do find their way to us."

Darth Rannuck snorted, the sound echoing inside his helm as he nodded in affirmation of Lord Circe's confidence.


	5. Chapter 5

"What happened?"

"How should I know? Doesn't your medic have any clue?"  
"Sorry sir, but I do medicine, not hoaky Jedi stuff."

"So there's nothing wrong with them?"

"Not physically, no."

"Marvelous, we just lot our two heavy hitters against the Sith."

"We've got our swords sir."

"Do you want to try them out against trained Force users?"

The voices were distant and faint but Mensis could hear them as his mind came back to itself. It took him a moment to realize that his eyes were closed and that the throbbing he felt was from his own head. He struggled for a moment to open his eyes, finding them stubbornly resistant to his commands to do so.

"He's coming around I think."

"What about the woman?"

"Nothing yet."

With a great effort, Mensis forced his eyes open. He found the other members of their party all looking down at him with varying degrees of concern.

"Are you alright Knight?" Agent Reddes asked.

Mensis nodded stiffly, his head still pounding.

"I am...mostly."

"What happened?" Specialist Duraa asked. "I've seen a lot of weird injuries but this is different."

"I was...attacked." Mensis said as he sat up and touched his head. "By another Force user, a very strong one."

"The Sith," Agent Reddes stated flatly. "So they know we're here."

Mensis nodded. "I was caught of guard by their assault. I was trying to find them in the Force, instead they found me."

"Now what?" Lieutenant Dar'lya asked grimly. "They have the advantage now."

"Nothing's changed." Agent Reddes said. "We find the Sith, figure out what they're doing and put a stop to it."

Lieutenant Dar'lya's fur rippled as he bared his long canines.

"I don't like this."

Agent Reddes smiled. "The Sith are doing space knows what to an ancient station of unknown purpose that predates the Republic and Sith both, what's to like?"

The Agent seemed oddly flippant to Mensis however as he looked around the group he found that Knight Kesarah was not among them. He recalled their words about 'the woman' and his expression drooped in a frown.

"Where is Knight Kesarah?"

"She's still unconscious." Sergeant Hamza said.

Mensis winced as he sat up on the couch, waving away a helping hand from Agent Reddes as the room spun for a moment.

"I am fine Agent, I merely need a moment to regain my footing."

Agent Reddes looked far from convinced but he did not interfere as Mensis turned towards the room's bed and found the twi'lek Jedi laying sprawled and unconscious upon the sheets. Mensis made his way shakily to the bedside under the watchful gaze of the others as he took a seat besides his fellow Jedi. He put a clawed hand on her forehead, closing his eyes and focusing as he tried to find her within the Force. She wasn't hard to comprehend he found, she was aglow with uncontrolled and passionate fire.

The intensity of her presence concerned Mensis somewhat but given her behavior he hardly found it surprising that her essence would be so impassioned. Seeing how vibrant her Force presence was only served to reinforce Mensis' conviction that Knight Kesarah was dangerous, both to herself and to those around her. She was the closest of all of them to falling into darkness and Mensis would have to ensure that neither her unbridled behavior nor her infatuation with Agent Reddes undid their mission here. If nothing else, Mensis at least agreed with Agent Reddes that if the Sith were taking an interest in this station then it was in turn within the Republic's interest to know why.

The matter at hand though was ensuring that Knight Kesarah was well, and it seemed that she was suffering from the trauma of her attack. It seemed that she had been less prepared for it than Mensis had though he had been by no means expecting such a violent counter to his probe. Whoever this Sith was, he or she was well versed in combative mental techniques. They would be a dangerous foe of that there was no doubt. Mensis focused his thoughts fully on Knight Kesarah, drawing her consciousness out from its trauma induced stupor.

"What...what's going on?"

Mensis opened his eyes once more and found Knight Kesarah looked up at him groggily.

"We suffered a strike from the Sith, we were rendered unconscious for a time. I have just revived you."

"Ugh," Knight Kesarah moaned as Mensis removed his hand from her forehead. "I feel like lightning struck my skull."

She sat up and placed her head in her hands.

"Did you at least give him a fight?" she muttered.

"I'm afraid we were both overwhelmed." Mensis replied with a frown as he turned his gaze towards Agent Reddes and the commandos. "How long were we unconscious?"

"About three standard hours." Specialist Duraa said. "You didn't so much as twitch."

Mensis' frown deepened. "Were you able to find anything useful in that time?"

"We found their ship." Lieutenant Dar'lya said as the fur atop his head rippled. "Its guarded of course and we couldn't determine what they were doing though they've obviously employed a lot of local labor."

"Employed or enslaved?" Mensis asked.

"Does it matter?" Lieutenant Dar'lya replied. "They're working for the Sith."

Mensis thought about correcting the Lieutenant's statement, but decided against it. It wasn't entirely incorrect, whether paid or forced the individuals that were being used by the Sith for whatever purpose they intended which made them a part of this regardless of their loyalties or intentions.

"What is our next move then Agent?" Mensis inquired as he turned his gaze back to Agent Reddes.

"I didn't want to do anything until we knew whether or not you two were going to be up and about again."

"Which means we've lost time." Lieutenant Dar'lya added with a scowl. "Time that could have been used dealing with the threat."

"We don't even know what the threat is yet." Agent Reddes reminded him. "It's hard to plan an operation if we don't know what it is."

"We know where their ship is." Knight Kesarah said as she sat on the bed, holding her head in her hands. "I can get to it and see what I can find."

"Can you slice a computer?"

Knight Kesarah looked up and frowned.

"No, not really."

"But you can," Agent Reddes said as he turned to Specialist Karelia.

The redheaded human nodded quietly, her expression unreadable though Mensis could sense a determination within her.

Lieutenant Dar'lya turned to Specialist Karelia.

"If the Jedi can get you to the ship, you can do what you do best and then spike the ship."

Specialist Karelia nodded. "Yes sir."

Lieutenant Dar'lya looked to Agent Reddes.

"We have a plan, do we execute?"

Agent Reddes nodded. "I think so, but we'll need to make sure the Sith are distracted."

"An attack then?" Lieutenant Dar'lya inquired. "While the Jedi and Specialist Karelia get the information we need?"

"That would seem prudent." Agent Reddes said. "Make whatever preparations you need, once you're ready we'll begin."

After the others had left to prepare, Kesarah looked to Ganz with a frown.

"So does this mean I don't get to play the spoiled brat anymore?"

He snorted and looked at her ruefully.

"Remind me how that was an act Kesa."

She pouted at him, her lekku twitching in annoyance as she crossed the room and draped herself over his shoulders as he sat at the desk with a host of devices spread across it.

"Do I get a good luck kiss?" she asked as she put a finger under his chin and turned his head towards him.

He smiled up at her, leaning up and touching his lips to hers lightly.

"Good luck."

She frowned at him. "That's it?"

"We're about to attack multiple Sith and whatever forces they have with them and you want more than a kiss?"

Kesarah giggled, her eyes sparking as she ran her tongue over her teeth in a smile.

"We can be quick you know, not like you last long."

Ganz snorted and stifled a laugh as he turned and pulled Kesarah into his laugh.

"Oh so that's how you're going to be is it?"

Still giggling, Kesarah put her finger under his chin, tilting his head up as she looked up at hin teasingly.

"Going to prove me wrong? This might be your last chance after all."

He shook his head. "It won't be, I have faith in your abilities. I asked for you for a reason after all."

"Oh so you knew I'd volunteer to get one of your commandos onto the ship?" Kesarah asked with a snort.

"Hmm," he winked at her. "I know you Kesa, I'm not here to dictate how you or Mensis will behave, I'm just here to make sure you know what the goal is."

She kissed him, a ripple running through her lekku as she put her hand around his neck and pulled him close. It was so strange being this intimate with someone, like she'd known him for months or perhaps years rather than days. She both loved and hated having someone know her this well, and she feared what he might think of her once he began to learn more about her than whatever details the dossier he had on her said.

Lord Circe stood looking up at the Glowpoint. Or he supposed, he was looking down at it. He was standing in a sphere after all. It hardly mattered though, preparations were nearly complete. Young Solkan's encouragement at the Northern Conical Mountains had been very successful. Now all that remained were the final tweaks and they could conclude their business here for the glory of the Empire. Provided of course the Empire's scientists were correct in their estimations of what exactly Centerpoint was. He turned to Dath Rannuck, the towering armored chistori.

"I imagine the Republic will be moving soon. Go to the Southern Mountains and join with Solkan, I doubt the boy can stand against the Jedi on his own."

The massive armored figure crossed his arms and gaving a growling snort, his armor encased head amplifying the sound.

"I will be fine." Lord Circe said as he turned back to the Glowpoint. "If they come here I will deal with them, however if just the boy is in the south I doubt he will be able to hold off, even with the help of our men."

Darth Rannuck grunted and Lord Circe waved his hand dismissively.

"You know the plan, so long as it is executed any casualties are acceptable."

With the amored chistori gone, Lord Circe turned his gaze back to the luminous white light of the Glowpoint. He wondered just what power had placed it there, and what they had done with such power. Not that it mattered now he supposed, whoever it had been was long gone. Now was the time of the Sith, and it was high time that someone reminded the Republic of that.


	6. Chapter 6

Mensis heard his headset crackle as Agent Reddes' voice came over it.

"Is everyone in position?"

A chorus of affirmative answers came in response as Mensis looked to his left and right at the commandos who were with him. He had never participated in something like this before, it seemed decidedly un-Jedi like to him, this watching in the shadows as the Sith guarded their ship.

"Lieutenant," Agent Reddes said. "We move on your signal."

Mensis took a calming breath, looking besides him at Sergeant Hamza. Her features were concealed behind her helmet as she held her repeating blaster but he saw the subtle turn of her head that signalled that she was returning his gaze. Her helmet bobbed in what he took to be acknowledgement and encouragement. This was something she and her fellow commandos had done before, many times perhaps. If they could do such a thing, then Mensis could perform in kind alongside them.

His thoughts were shattered violently as the retort of Lieutenant Dar'lya's sniper rifle roared from somewhere above and behind their position. The Sith trooper he had targeted fell like so much dead weight and then the commandos were in motion. Sergeant Hamza stood and opened fire, her reapeating blaster spraying a flurry of bolts across the entrance to the landing pad and forcing the Sith troopers into cover as Duraa fired aimed shots from his carbine. Mensis stood and ignited his blue sabers, swatting aside the return fire from the troopers as they attempted to retaliate against the attacking commandos. He only hoped that this was enough of a distraction for Knight Kesarah and Specialist Karelia.

"Keep them under fire!" Agent Reddes ordered needlessly. "Specialist, Knight, it's your show!"

Kesarah moved quietly with the practiced grace of a dancer. Besides her Karelia maintained position and pace alongside her moving with surprising quiet despite her armor. The strangely silent commando was a little unsettling in her own right but the seemingly self-assured calm was comforting in a strange way as the pair of them skirted the edge of the hangar facility where the Sith starship was berthed. The firefight going on at the pad's entrance was intensifying as more troopers joined the fighting from the inside the landing pad and assumedly the starship itself. Kesarah wasn't used to this sort of thing, she tried to avoid direct confrontations like this as much as possible and yet here she was right in the thick of things.

She wasn't sure what put her more on edge, thinking that the Sith might discover her or that her own allies might accidentally shoot her. After all, they couldn't see her either as she and Specialist Karelia slipped around the side of the docking facility and into the landing pad itself. She and the commando froze as a trio of troopers carrying a heavy repeating blaster and its power supply came rushing forwards to secure the entrance. Kesarah began reaching for her saber but Karelia's hand on her arm stopped her. She frowned and turned to the other woman who shook her helmeted head silently, pointing to the ship ahead of them.

Right, they had a mission. The others were counting on them to complete it. Ganz was counting on her to do her part. Thinking of her lover and his faith in her ability to see this through gave Kesarah a strange sense of reassurance. If he—a trained Republic agent—could believe that she was capable of accomplishing this mission then there was no reason she couldn't do so. She wouldn't let him down. After all, he hadn't let her down yet, even standing up for her against Knight Mensis and his judgement against her.

With the commando at her side, Kesarah made her way to the boarding ramp of the Sith starship and the pair slipped silently into its interior. Now that there out of sight of the enemy, Kesarah was able to drop the concealment she'd maintained around herself and the commando, allowing the light she'd been bending to retread its natural path. If she'd expected her companion to complement her then she was sorely disappointed as Karelia simply moved on in silence deeper into the ship's interior, her blaster drawn and ready. Kesarah mimed her readiness, unclipping her saberstaff from its place at her thigh and following in the other woman's wake.

Solkan Nar stood with his arms crossed and his expression fixed in his best immitation of Lord Circe's habitually dour countenance. He wasn't sure if it was having the inspiring effect that it so often did when Lord Circe used it but he at least felt superior over the laborers he was overseeing.

The comlink at his hip squawked noisily and he raised it up to his face to answer.

"Your will my Lord."

"The Jedi are attacking our ship." Lord Circe said. "Deal with them."

Solkan frowned as the line went dead, turning to the towering Darth Rannuck besides him.

"I'll remain here and ensure that the operation continues. Kill the Jedi."

The darksider turned his gaze on Solkan, his armored head tilting in a silent question which drew Solkan's scowl.

"Don't question me!" he snapped shrilly. "I gave you an order!"

The chistori was silent for a moment before turning and striding away, his gleaming chrome armor catching the glint of the artificial light around him as he moved to obey Solkan's orders. Seeing his words being obeyed by the intimidating warrior filled Solkan with a sense of accomplishment and as he turned back to the workers he felt a renewed zeal blossom within him that Lord Circe's plan should be accomplished with all haste. These worms would be made to work faster even if it killed them!

Lieutenant Dar'lya watched the entrance to the landing pad that the Sith held. He had no shot inside of it, the repeater team that had set up just inside of the entryway was outside of his view so he couldn't give his allies any cover if they wanted to take it. However Agent Reddes had specified that they were not trying to take the Sith ship, merely give enough time for Karelia and the Jedi to gather the information they needed. He sighted down his rifle's scope and watched as a trooper was bold enough to come out of cover. Dar'lya's fur rippled within his armor as he squeezed the trigger and watched the trooper stagger back into relative safety. It was hard to tell if that had been a kill or not, but it had certainly reminded the Sith that it was not safe to come out of their hiding places.

That was when something slammed into the ground behind him, shaking his vantage point violently. Dar'lya rolled over, squeezing off a shot from his rifle without even checking his target. The blaster bolt bounced off of an armored behemoth, doing little more than casting the glistening armor in a red glow for an instant. That same red glow returned as the figure ignited a triple saber design from its gauntlets. The two forward facing blades dove forwards as the enemy punched down at Dar'lya who had no further chance to react as the two crimson sabers sank into his abdomen. Dar'lya's body went into shock as the burning blades punched clear through him and into the metal beneath him.

When his opponent grabbed the front of his helmet and lifted him from the ground to fling him out into the abyss Dar'lya was already well and dead and did not feel the impact when he landed on the duracrete below.

Mensis felt the ripple in the Force as Lieutenant Dar'lya's presence was suddenly snuffed out. He also felt the cold fury of the bothan commando's killer somewhere above and behind them. He turned from the landing pad and looked searchingly in the direction of the blocky high rises where the Lieutenant had been. He couldn't see anything but he could certainly feel the approaching foe.

"Agent, we need to move." he urged. "One of the Sith is here, he's just killed your Lieutenant."

Agent Reddes looked up in surprise, his expression showing first confusion and then concern as he keyed his comlink.

"Lieutenant Dar'lya are you there?" he called, repeating the call again when no answer came. "Damn," he cursed. "That was a good man." he looked around at the remaining commandos. "Be ready to move, we don't want to end up caught between the Sith and their troops."

Mensis was surprised to see how seemingly calm Sergeant Hamza and Specialist Duraa took the death of their leader. He could sense sorrow from both of them, more so from Duraa than Hamza, but neither showed any exterior signs of the loss and continued to cover the landing pad doorway as Agent Reddes called out again over the comlink.

"Kesarah you need to get out of there."

Hearing Ganz's voice crackled over the comlink made Kesarah jump. It had been so deathly quiet until that moment that the sudden voice naerly caused her to cry out. She stifled the outcry and raised her comlink to speak into it quietly.

"We aren't finished yet." she replied. "Karelia is still getting the data."

"Damn." Ganz replied. "How much longer?"

Kesarah turned to look at Karelia as she leaned over the ship's mainframe. Without looking up, the commando held up three fingers.

"Three minutes, I think." Kesarah answered, affirming it as Karelia gave her a thumbs up. "Yes, three minutes."

"You may not have three minutes, the Sith just killed Lieutenant Dar'lya. At least one of them is on their way here."

Kesarah swallowed tensely, the bothan commando was dead? She looked at Karelia, she showed no sign of hearing or caring.

"Do you need my help?" Kesarah asked. "I can come and—"

"No," Ganz replied immediately. "You stay there, your job is to keep Specialist Karelia safe and then get that data out of there. If anything happens to us out here you and she are to act on your own to neutralize whatever it is that the Sith are planning."

Hearing her lover, she couldn't think of him as just some Republic agent anymore, speak as if he might not survive the next three minutes settled a hard pit in Kesarah's stomach as she lifted the comlink to her mouth once more.

"Ganz I—"

"—don't Kesa." Ganz's voice came back with surprising firmness. "This is our mission, it takes priority over us."

Kesarah's heart ached, throbbing for a moment as she tried to speak but found herself unable to do so as her lekku trembled. Unable to speak, she lowered the comlink and clipped it to her belt once more, coming forwards to speak to Karelia.

"Please hurry, before any of the others get hurt." she urged.

The commando said nothing as she continued to work, leaving Kesarah feeling increasingly isolated amidst a situation she had no control over.

With the commandos and Agent Reddes watching the Sith soldiers, Mensis focused his entire attention on the approaching Sith. He could sense the fury of their foe, it was not hard to miss. It wasn't the red hot anger that he was accustomed to sensing from the Sith. This was something else, it was a cold and calculating anger, directed and with purpose. Mensis did not consider himself easily rattled but whoever this foe was, they would be formiddable of that he was now quite certain.

"Agent," he said calmly. "I do not know that I can hold off this opponent."

"Well that's good to hear." Specialist Duraa said glibly. "Our Jedi doesn't know that he can handle the Sith."

"Quiet." Sergeant Hamza ordered. "Eyes front, without the Lieutenant pinning them down the Sith have a lot more freedom to maneuver."

"Copy." Duraa replied as he refocused his attention.

Ignoring the commandos, Mensis turned his visual attention to Agent Reddes who was looking at him with what could only be described as calculating gaze.

"Can you hold the Sith off if Knight Kesarah and Specialist Karelia need more time?" the Agent asked.

Mensis nodded, his will set to the task at hand.

"If I must, then I shall."

So resolved, Mensis turned his full attention to the approaching Sith. It was hard to tell exactly where the foe was or just how far away but the presence that the Sith was giving off was certainly coming closer, of that there was little doubt. The cramped and confined spaces within Centerpoint's spaceport did nothing to allow Mensis a better view of the approach of their foe but he could at least tell from what direction the approach would be in. Thank the Force for small favors.

That grattitude was short lived though as an armored figure stepped into view amidst the maze of machinery that typified Centerpoint and its environs. Mensis stared at the armored figure of the Sith. It towered over Mensis, the glow of the artificial light of Centerpoint gleaming off its armor. The shining metal encased its entire form, leaving no hint to the species or even gender of the wearer. Taking a deep breath, Mensis readied his twin sabers, raising them into a middle guard as he positioned himself between the Sith and his allies.

The Sith was silent as it spread its arms out to either side, clenching its gauntleted hands into fists. The motion ignited six lightsaber blades, three on each hand with two facing forwards and a third facing rearwards. If the foe hadn't already seemed intimidating, now it truly did. Mensis' mouth twisted in a feral smile born from his Cathar heritage. This would be a challenging opponent, and despite all his training and conditioning, a deep predatory part of his being was as thrilled as it was frightened.


End file.
